ANNAPOLIS (July 8, 2015)—Health care interests representing hospitals, providers and insurers continue to spend the most to influence Maryland legislators and state officials, paying out $4.5 million to lobby this past session, according to figures compiled by Common Cause from State Ethics Commission filings.

The result is not a surprise given the states heavy role in both regulating and paying for health care, which makes up over $12 billion (31%) of the total state budget, including federal funds.

The major lobbies at the legislature remained mostly the same in 2015  health care spent the most, followed by energy, development and business, said Jennifer Bevan-Dangel, executive director of Common Cause Maryland. But the amount they spent  $18 million  went up by almost $2 million this year.

Bevan-Dangel said the increasing amount of money spent on professional lobbying represents a challenge to the ability of individual citizens to make their voices heard in Maryland lawmaking.

According to Common Causes analysis,
available here in full, the 11 industries that spent over $500,000 included:

• Health Care  $4,577,747

• Utility and Energy Companies  $1,959,322

• Development Companies and Organizations  $1,554,958.

• Business Groups (chambers, retail, and other industries)  $1,112,659

• Gambling Companies  $930,419

• Telecom Industry  $816,139

• Other  $615,366

• Universities  $558,505

• Education Organizations  $514,499

• Automobile Industry  $511,037

Common Cause listed these other highlights:

• Uber Technologies, the tech service that enlists car owners to provide rides, emerged as a player in the lobbying scene, spending $127,139 to get a bill supporting Ubers business practices passed last session.

While just two employers had spent over $300,000 by this time in 2014, that number increased to six this year. Sixteen spent over $200,000 and 58 spent over $100,000.

• The highest spending employer was Maryland State Education Association at $446,242.

• Ten new health care lobbyist employers have emerged since 2013.

• Gun regulation has disappeared as a lobby issue.

• Ten major industries have decreased overall spending since 2013 (gambling, education, religious, retail, insurance, union, tobacco, waste, manufacturing and defense), but others have more than compensated for their decline.